Vegan Society Newsroom

Vegan-Friendly catering is great for everyone!

Good vegan options are a great solution for caterers. The Vegan Society invites all caterers to join their free Vegan-Friendly Promise scheme. In return, The Vegan Society offers promotional ‘Vegans Catered for Here’ window stickers, a staff training sheet, and more.

Doctors Receive Advice on Vegan Nutrition

Our Plant based Nutrition Booklet went out to all doctors in the country with a covering letter. We will let you know how successful this was in the Spring 2009 Vegan magazine.

Restaurant Show, Earls Court

Our Chief Executive Officer (Nigel), Media Officer (Amanda) and Business Development Officer (Colm) had a steady flow of people at our stand on all three days of the restaurant show and they gave out about 450 catering booklets as well as some hospital catering booklets and nutrition information. They spoke to a wide range of organisations including Compass contract caterers, the Dorchester Hotel, Saga cruises, the Metropolitan police, independent restaurant and pub owners, catering colleges and students and there was overall a good level of interest.

Live Vegan Cook-off at Prestigious Cookery School

The Vegan Catering Challenge took place on Mon 27 October. The six finalists, professional chefs from around the UK, took part in a live cook-off at the Tante Marie cookery school. A full report will appear in the Spring 2009 Vegan magazine.

Gourmet vegan food is a winner for everyone

Six finalists battled to impress judges at the cook-off final of the Vegan Society Catering Challenge on Mon 27 Oct 2008. The chefs proved that great vegan food is a truly gourmet experience. The winners were officially announced on World Vegan Day (Sat 1 Nov 2008) at the West Midlands Vegan Festival in Wolverhampton.



Paul Russell, a Lecturer in Hospitality and Culinary Arts Management at University College Birmingham, scooped first prize and a cheque for £500 (all pictures courtesy of http://www.flavourphotos.com).

The 8th Edition of the Animal Free Shopper has arrived, price £4.99. Please order your copy through our online shop or by e-mailing sales [at] vegansociety [dot] com at any time - or by phoning 0121 523 1731 during office hours.

The 2008 Annual General Meeting of The Vegan Society (open to Vegan Society members only) will be on Saturday 22 November 2008 at The Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory St, York, YO1 6EZ.

Clear your mind of preconceptions: Great vegan food is a truly gourmet experience. The proof is in the eating, at the cook-off final of the Vegan Society Catering Challenge. Six finalists will battle to impress judges Chad Sarno, Christine Tilbury and Andrew Maxwell. The winner will be announced at the West Midlands Vegan Festival in Wolverhampton on World Vegan Day, Sat 1 Nov 2008.

The BBC are currently running a TV series call The Restaurant with Raymond Blanc.

The Vegan Society has learned that episode 13 will feature vegan customers.

This will be broadcast on Wednesday 22 October 2008 from 8.00 to 9.00pm on BBC 2. You can find out more from their Web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/restaurant.

Posted by: Amanda Baker, Vegan Society Media Relations
Mobile: 07847 664 793 Tel: 0121 523 1737
Email: media@vegansociety.com
Web: www.vegansociety.com
Address: The Vegan Society, Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton St, Hockley, Birmingham B18 6HJ
Reg. Charity No 279228 Company Reg. No 1468880 VAT Reg. No 448 5973 95

The following confirms our Trademark criteria which have been in place for many years. As a result of a number of queries we have clarified the requirements. The only change is that we now require Trademark holders to sign the following statement:

"I confirm that our company strives diligently to minimise cross-contamination from animal substances used in other (non-vegan) products as far as is reasonably practicable."

This is not a change of policy but is intended to remind manufacturers of their responsibilities.

The Austrian prisoners have been released, so the Solidarity demonstration on Friday 5 September is
cancelled.

Ten animal advocates were arrested in Austria on Wednesday 21 May 2008. Nine remain incarcerated without charge after three months. Christian Moser (the tenth arrestee) was released on Wednesday 13 August 2008, but the public prosecutor has appealed against his release.

The next review of the remand in custody of the remaining nine prisoners is scheduled for Monday 8 September 2008.

There will be an International Day of Solidarity for the Austrian prisoners on Friday 5 September 2008.

Wed 2 July 2008 was an international day of solidarity with the Austrian Vegan Society internees. A group of around 25 peaceful protestors gathered outside the Austrian Consulate in Birmingham, calling for justice and freedom for our Austrian friends.

We Won!



The Vegan magazine has won the Best Vegan Publication award in the Vegan Environmental Awards 2008. For more details, check out: http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/results.html

Parent Holly Paige told Independent journalist Natasha Mann that her children could not get enough nutrients on ‘a vegan diet’ (Tue 17 Jun 2008 http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/healthy-living/how-our-vegan-diet-made-us-ill-848322.html). A particular raw food regime is repeatedly equated to ‘veganism’ in the article.

The Vegan Society is correctly quoted as having the evidence to show that a balanced vegan diet can support a healthy lifestyle at all ages – including young children. But the piece is otherwise full of unsubstantiated nutritional speculation. For example, the mother states that her children were deficient in vitamin D and protein – but admits that she has no medical advice to support this diagnosis.

It has been widely reported that a 12 year old girl is in hospital in Scotland with a severe case of rickets [see notes 2,3,4].

Vegan Society Vice-Chair, Graham Neale, said, "Here at the Vegan Society we are saddened by this news. As a charity we are devoted to providing information about maintaining a healthy plant-based diet. Anyone thinking of becoming vegan, or caring for vegan children and adults (including caterers) can contact us for simple guidelines on a healthy, animal free diet." [see notes 1, 5]

The Vegan Society is a peaceful organisation promoting a healthy diet for the benefit of people, animals and the environment.

The Board of the Vegan Society is deeply concerned about the arrest and detention without charge on 21st May 2008 of members of our sister organisation the Austrian Vegan Society and similar groups. We understand that those arrested have now been interned for a further four weeks.

We are especially concerned for the welfare of the Chair of the Austrian Vegan Society, Felix Hnat, and about the disruption to the Austrian Vegan Society office and its work.

We ask that the equipment confiscated be returned promptly and that the
arrested individuals be immediately released or charged. For a statement on the case from Amnesty International, please see http://www.vgt.at/presse/news/2008/news20080605_1_en.php